


Memento

by char_lotteral



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hinata is adorable, Light Angst, NaruHina - Freeform, NaruHina 2020, Oblivious Uzumaki Naruto, One Shot, Slow Build, i love them, kushina's last words, naruto is dense as hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/char_lotteral/pseuds/char_lotteral
Summary: "...But just don’t get hooked on bad women,Find someone just like me..."Only noticing this; his mother's last words to him slowly began to resurface in Naruto's memory, as he was currently stranded  within a dark cave, in the middle of an ongoing storm, with only Hinata Hyuuga to give him company.Takes place before "The Last"
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 13
Kudos: 96





	Memento

**Author's Note:**

> please enjoy the naruhina~

“Dammit! This is all Kakashi sensei’s fault!”

Naruto bellowed out as they strolled under the heavy fall of rain, soaked and exhausted from their unfortunate turn of events.

“If only he assigned us to maybe an S- rank mission and not some stupid C-rank mission, we wouldn’t be soaking wet right now! You and I are both strong as hell so why does he keep on treating us like kids?!”

His continuous bickering echoed throughout the entire forest, animals everywhere eavesdropping on his non-stop complaints. While Hinata merely giggling at his little antics.

Tall firm trees surrounded their terrain, light droplets subtly trickled down along the rough surfaces of the trees with the murkiness of the soil clinging to the soles of their shoes. The coolness of the air sinking all the way down to their bones, gently lingering along their smooth skin. Pitter patters from the constant fall of the rain purred in their ears along with the splashes and squelches on the wet soil, drizzles of the droplets forming tiny ponds around them. Their clothes weighed heavily on them with the wetness of the rain completely soaking their entire body.

“Naruto-kun, Kakashi-sensei assigned you on this mission because of your arm, remember? You mustn’t overexert yourself; you’ve just recovered from surgery.”

Hinata tenderly convinced the young shinobi in front of him while still maintaining that kind tone of hers. She had always admired his undying determination and that strong will of his, yet at times, he can be a tad bit impatient. He’s been complaining about this mission ever since it was assigned to him a few days ago, claiming that even a freshly graduated genin could deliver a letter to Kumogakure without any disruptions. He whined and complained endlessly in front of the Sixth Hokage yet he still not giving to his annoying retorts. And here they were now, finally returning to their village under the heavy pour of rain, fingers cold as ice, wet locks of their hair sticking clammily to the sides of their faces and their bodies shivering nonstop.

Nonetheless, she still loved this knucklehead with all her heart, no matter how cranky he gets.

“My arm’s completely fine! It gets a bit stingy sometimes but it doesn’t really bother me that much. I’m a strong shinobi, I can endure it, y’know!”

_But that’s the point, you shouldn’t endure the pain all by yourself. You’re still human afterall, Naruto-kun. Please, let me help weigh that burden with you._

Of course, shy as she was, she could never voice out her thoughts articulately. He would always bring out this bashful side of hers, his valiant persona and adorable grin would easily render her speechless.

“T-they’re only looking out for you, Naruto-kun.”

Flashing him an affectionate smile while looking up at the blond beside him. He’s gotten taller since the war 6 months ago. Though, 6 months ago had already felt like a distant memory. She remembered the sight of his detached arm when they first met hours after the war which nearly made her faint on the spot (not that was really anything new) and even back then, she was on the verge of breaking down right in front of him, knowing how useless she had been during his dreadful battle. She had always felt helpless and worthless when it came to him, how she wished she could’ve been the one to rid him of his suffering, cast away all his pain and stand beside him, providing him the comfort and support he needed. She later decided to watch over him during his recovery while they patiently waited for his prosthetic. Feeding him and nurturing him like a stray little puppy while he was recovering in the hospital, never leaving him out of her sight. It was the least she could do for Konoha’s great hero ~~and for the love of her life~~.

“They really should stop treating me like a kid, y’know. I’ve had this arm for weeks now and I’ve recovered fine! Tsunade obaachan said-”

His voice trailing off as he looked up at the sky with a skeptical look etched on his face.

“Is there something wrong?”

The dread on his face only grew. He dropped his head and looked down at her with worrisome eyes.

“There’s a really bad storm coming. Like _really_ bad.”

“B-bad? Then, we should hurry up and get to Konoha quickly.”

“No time, need to find shelter, _now.”_

He grabbed her hand and dashed briskly through the forest, searching for any signs of shelter. His pace steadily quickened and before she knew it, orange chakra flames ignited all over his body. She couldn’t help but feel the warm feeling of his hand tightly wrapped around hers despite the chilly atmosphere engulfing them.

“Over there.”

He motioned towards a dark cave located at the foothold of a mountain and ran there at the speed of light. They managed to reach inside with the pattering of the rain still drummed loudly outside. The darkness of the cave was faintly lit by his bright, orange flames, making everything within their vicinity unfurl into a clearer view.

It was… a bit cramped.

The entire cave, though, extended completely inwards. A good measure of 7 people could fit in there; if they were to align themselves vertically. It was about a meter and a half wide and if she were to fidget any further, their shoulders would already be touching! She could already feel her cheeks heat up at the sudden idea of the closeness between them. That or the warm feeling of Naruto’s calloused hands still gripped firmly onto hers.

Reflexively, she pulled her own hand away from his as if she had touched scalding iron with her own palms.

“Heh, sorry for dragging you in here. I know it’s a bit tight and all but it’s deep enough to shield us from the storm. There were other options, but they were either too far or the rocks were too withered to even withstand anything. I couldn’t risk you getting crushed, y’know?”

He chuckled a light giggle and flashed her that wonderful grin of his. It was more than enough to drive all her worries away.

“I-I see. Your sage mode is quite convenient for these types of situations, isn’t it? Thank you, Naruto-kun.”

Which she then returned his sentiment with a subtle smile.

Enough to ruin the moment; a roaring clap of thunder crackled outside, making her jolt out of fright and bump forcefully into him.

“Haha, it’s gonna be fine, Hinata. I’m here for you, y’know! As for this storm though, looks like it’ll pass in about a few hours or so.”

_A few hours. We’re staying like this for a few hours???_

“You look really worried, right now. Well, you shouldn’t be, because I promise I won’t be leaving your side ever _ever_!”

 _That’s_ exactly _what I’m worried about._

She was burning a deep crimson red and her heart drummed louder than the pouring rain.

Naruto trudged deeper and began kindling a good enough fire to light up the whole cave. As soon as it lit, he huddled in front of it, quickly deactivating his Kurama mode. He huffed a deep sigh as he continued to bask in the heat of the flam. He then shifted his gaze at Hinata, beaming at her with his brightest smile.

And to her horror, he winced at an invisible pain, his other hand firmly clutching on to his bandaged one.

“Naruto-kun! Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. It’s this stupid hand, that’s all. Still getting used to it.”

His bright smile was later replaced with a weaker, lopsided one.

_No, you’re clearly not._

“You really should rest, Naruto-kun. Tsunade-sama advised you to. A-and, I re-really don’t l-like it when y-you’re in so much pain.”

“Hinata, I’m fine, really. See? Good as new!”

He then proceeded to flex his bandaged arm in front of her, proving that everything about him was, in fact, alright. Even when it clearly wasn’t. She merely giggled at his silliness, making her shoulders weigh a little lighter now.

“C’mere, sit beside me. You’re shivering, y’know.” 

Immediately regaining her senses, she agreeingly nodded. She slowly approached him and sat about an arm’s length away from him and the fire. He was right though; she was _really cold._ Her teeth began to chatter and the tips of her fingers began to numb, slowly losing it sensory reflexes to the icy prick that nipped at her skin. She desperately wanted to bathe in the relaxing heat of the fire ~~and maybe sit really close to Naruto~~. But she couldn’t risk herself fainting in front of him, _again._ The whole mission was practically a good training exercise to prevent herself from constantly stuttering and fainting around him. And somehow, Kakashi-sensei/sama had been pulling her leg with this one. When he assigned them together on this mission, she could hear the snickering and teasing that was happening behind them. She hated that she was practically forced to spend so much time with him.

Though, she will admit that she _does enjoy_ the time they spend together, she simply hated that she had to spend _too much time_ with him, causing her to constantly embarrass herself whenever he was around. I mean, she likes him, _a lot_ , and if given the chance, she’d definitely spend more time with him than they normally do, she just hates that she always ends up making a fool of herself in front of him again and again and again. It’s sad really because he’s _extremely_ fun to be around and she relishes every moment they have but she couldn’t stand-

“Hinata?”

Lost in her own thoughts, she shook her head and turned towards Naruto’s direction. He had a subtle grin across his face making her heart pound even louder.

“Y-yes?”

“You’re really far, y’know. You should sit closer to the fire. You’re really wet!”

Her eyes widened at his sudden words making her face fume with intense heat.

“Co-come… a-again?”

God, she was such a hopeless case.

“I said your clothes are really wet and that you should dry up, so you won’t get sick. Here, I’ll dry them up for you.”

He sat up and settled down beside her then offered his hand with another bright grin plastered on his face.

“You should take your jacket off since it’s all soaked. You might catch a cold because of this rain and all.”

“I- uhm M-my jacket’s fine and please don’t worry so much”

“I worry about you out of instinct, y’know. Now, c’mon, give me your jacket so I can dry it up.”

Defeated by his words, she simply obliged and slowly took off her jacket then proceeded to hand it to him. She never liked the idea of herself without her jacket, she would always feel too _exposed_ without it. Especially now, when they were both _this_ close. But it was too damn cold for her to keep wearing it and she simply admired that he genuinely cared for her well-being.

“Thanks, Hinata. I’ll just warm this over the fire, that okay with you?”

She nodded to his kind gesture.

“Naruto-kun, thank yo-”

Another striking rumble of thunder cut her off.

The winds outside began to gradually increase as the leaves of the trees swayed furiously to its direction. Objects flew past the entrance and a fierce whirring resonated all around them. Droplets of rain poured harsher by the second, drumming blaringly onto the solid ground. And the icy atmosphere embraced their skin, nipping and prickling with its numbing sensation. It was as if the sky had waged war against the earth. The divinity above sending havoc towards their land.

She reflexively jolted from the sudden fright, sitting closer to the fire and unknowingly huddling herself closer to him.

“I didn’t know you were afraid of a little thunder.” Merely chuckling at her abrupt reaction, Naruto positioned her jacket closer to the fire and wrapped a strong hand around her petite figure, settling himself comfortably beside his frightened partner. He had done this while still being completely unaware of the havoc that _he_ was wreaking in her heart.

“Didn’t I tell you not to worry? I’ll protect you from this stupid storm, y’know!”

And there it was again; that signature smile of his.

“Y-you’re right. Thank you, Naruto-kun, truly”

One look into those comforting blue eyes of his and all her worries then fade away. She loved his smile more than anything else in this world and it was more than enough to rejuvenate her exhausted state.

A second later, a loud grumble from Naruto’s stomach echoed throughout the entire cave. They paused, not planning to acknowledge the silly grumbling but the silence was immediately interrupted by Hinata’s bashful giggles.

“Lucky for you, I have just the right solution for that.”

She said this while rustling in her backpack and pulling out two bento boxes for both of them to share.

“U-unfortunately, this isn’t Ichiraku Ramen but I still did my best to prepare all of this just to your liking.” She handed his bento box and flashed him a subtle smile, hoping that this was enough to satisfy his little craving.

“Gee, thanks, Hinata! I bet this’ll be just as good as Ichiraku’s, maybe even better!”

He claps his hands together then hurriedly opens his bento like a kid on Christmas Eve. A bright glint present in his eyes as he began to slowly indulge in her gracious home cooking.

“Hinata, this tastes great! You’d make a really good wife someday, y’know?”

“Y-you said something exactly similar to that back when we were still g-genin, Naruto-kun. You’re really silly.” A faint blush spread across her cheeks.

“I did? Well, I’m sure meant every word of it. Any guy would be lucky as hell to have you as his wife, Hinata!”

He says nonchalantly while continuing to gorge down his bento box. Completely unaware of how his words played with her. He would always spat the cutest things and whether they were accidental or half-meant, his endearing words would never fail to send an elating tingle throughout her body.

_And any woman who’d have you as her husband, would be the luckiest woman in the entire world._

She could feel her heart heaving a deep sigh from her own unspoken words. If only she had the confidence to tell him, tell him exactly how she feels. Tell him how the butterflies don’t bother her one bit, how he’s been an inspiration to her since the very day they met, how her heart pounds furiously whenever he’s around. Tell him that she’s deeply, madly and truly in lov-

“That taste really good, Hinata, thank you! Maybe we should rest a bit, while we wait for this storm to pass. Is that fine with you?”

She agreeingly nodded. The sudden mention of sleep excited her a bit too much, considering they’ve been travelling for quite some time. And maybe this might help her throbbing chest to rest easy for now.

“I’ll take first patrol; you must be really tired since we’ve been travelling non-stop lately.”

“No, it’s fine, Naruto-kun! You shouldn-”

“Nope, you’re not changing my mind. G’night, Hinata.”

He beamed at her with that favorite smile of hers, immediately soothing her anxiousness a little bit. She positioned her back against the wall, where there was just enough heat to warm her up. Noticing the increasing distance between the two of them, he nestled closer to her petite body and, for some reason, activated his Kurama mode.

“You’re still shivering like a wet puppy and it really bothers me. So, I kinda asked Kurama to help you out! He says it was fine and all, seeing how chilly the air’s been getting.”

“Naruto-kun, p-please, I’m fi-”

“I told you already, didn’t I? You’re nowhere near changing my mind. You can rest your head on my shoulder so you won’t have to lie on the wall. It’s much comfortable that way. Rest well, okay? Goodnight again, Hinata.” 

Her eyes widened at his words and at his tender stare.

How she got to be extremely lucky to be friends with a sweetheart like him? She will never know. She absolutely despises the idea of being a burden to him like this. He’s simply wasting all his chakra on her! Yet she already knew that no matter how hard she was to convince him to stop; he wasn’t going to cave in that easily.

So instead, she gently laid her head atop his shoulder, her chest now aching more painfully than before. She settled herself close enough to bask in the heat of his chakra flames and the comforting warmth that he himself emitted. Somehow, his chakra was incredibly soothing that it lulled her to sleep in no time. She dozed off into a calm slumber, knowing that she was safely nestled near this strong, kind shinobi beside him. And for that moment, reality might’ve finally been better than her dreams.

* * *

_“Naruto”_

_“My darling, Naruto”_

_Red._

_A calming shade of red._

_Not the red that screams wrath and destruction._

_Nor the red that reminds you of the appalling image of blood._

_Instead, of a crimson red that resembles that of an innocent rose, or the awe-inspiring beauty of a red chrysanthemum._

_Almost like a ruby that glimmers under lucent light._

_Tendrils of crimson red danced in front of him, cascading waterfalls and splayed about like flowers in a field._

_His favorite shade of red._

_The shade of red he wished his hair had._

_The shade of red that kindles a sense of elation within him._

_The shade of red that never fails to catch his eye._

_Bliss._

_A peaceful bliss._

_He could recognize that shade even from a mile away._

_And as he stared more intently at the subject before him;_

_A tsunami of emotions overflowed his senses_

_Drops of honey trickled in his chest_

_An epiphany of euphoric rush consumed him entirely._

_  
It was her._

_He was sure of it,_

_“Kaach-”_

**_OI, BRAT!!_ **

He woke up, drowsy from his hazy dream. And from his annoying 9-tailed friend forcefully waking him up. He mentally called him out, reprimanding him from disturbing his peaceful nap.

_What do you want, Kurama? I was sleeping!_

**_Deactivate my Chakra, this instant, you brat! You’ll weaken my supply along with yours and I know that you are well aware how this can negatively affect your new arm._ **

He sighed at his annoying berates, mentally blocking him from his own thoughts. Looking down at the sleeping girl beside him, he couldn’t push himself to simply ignore her, she was freezing! And the air had gotten increasingly cold for the duration of their sleep.

_How long was I out?_

**_For 4 hours or so. Both of you slept like a log despite the ongoing storm. I assume it was due to your exhaustion from your recent mission._ **

He wasn’t surprised knowing they’ve been asleep for that long. It really was a tiring mission even if it were just a C-rank one. His gaze was still latched onto her peaceful face, a sensation of warmth and comfort overrode his senses knowing that she was here sitting so close beside him.

It’s been 6 months since the war had ended and yet Naruto still had vivid triggering images of the trauma he had gone through. Even the subtlest mention of a certain someone’s name could provoke his thoughts and make his lungs go on a rampage. He’s been trying to cope with every little thing and thankfully enough, this gentle person beside him helped him through it all.

So much has happened in those past 6 months; Konoha was rebuilt, Kakashi-sensei had become Hokage. Sasuke was back and the two had finally been reunited. Though, this had in fact caused him a high enough price; losing an arm on that exact same day. He never thought much about his loss. To him; Sasuke’s return had all been worth it. But he does admit that they were times when he found his amputation to be quite the nuisance in his daily life. He couldn’t train like he used to, couldn’t fight, couldn’t form seals, and worst of all; he couldn’t eat ramen!

Those were truly desperate times.

Now, having this girl sleep soundly beside him, he was reminded of how eternally grateful he is of her kind presence. For the entirety of his recovery in the hospital, she had visited him non-stop. She treated him with care, fed him with her own delicious meals and tended to his needs 24/7. She never left his side once all the while helping him overcome his daily obstacles and unsettling worries; she would even accompany him to Ichiraku and feed him ramen!

Grateful was an understatement; he was indebted to her, obligated to repay her the same amount of kindness she had given him. He couldn’t help but be overly protective and genuinely concerned for her well-being. It was the least he could for her immeasurable kindness.

He played with a strand of her raven hair and slipped it behind her ear. Huffing a good amount of her aroma into his nose, flooding his senses with her soothing whiff. Lavender. She smelled of lavender. And it was intoxicating.

**_NARUTO!_ **

_What the hell do you want, Kurama?! I already told you I’m not deactivating it!_

**_ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RISK YOUR ARM JUST FOR SOME FLIMSY GAME OF FLIRTATION?!_ **

_I’m doing this for her! And I am NOT flirting, jeez. I’ll deactivate this as soon as she wakes up. So, shut up already._

And before his furry friend could shoot him with more chiding, he could feel a subtle shuffle on his shoulder.

“Naruto-kun? How long have I been asleep?” Rubbing the tiredness out of her pale eyes, she gazed at him with a gentle look.

“Don’t worry about it, it wasn’t that long. You needed the sleep anyway!” He then peered at her with another beaming grin.

His eyes slowly travelled down to her mesh outfit and he couldn’t help but stifle a gulp at what his thoughts chaffed at him.

**_Hey pervert, she’s finally awake. Now, deactivate my Chakra before this goes completely out of hand._ **

_Yeah, yeah. And don’t call me a pervert, ya bastard._

Instantly, he deactivated his Kyuubi mode, silently fearing for the next result. Yet nothing came, so he then proceeded to continuously ignore his annoying 9-tailed friend’s warnings. Now that his chakra cloak was no longer on him, the chilling atmosphere became even more apparen as it prickled with his flesh causing the tips of his hair to stand completely on end. It was so _damn cold._ And apparently, the kunoichi beside him felt the exact same. The iciness of the air lingered on their skin; gooseflesh scattered all over. So, he picked up her damp jacket by the fire and wrapped it around her.

And as he did, a hissing pain seared all over his bandaged arm, causing him to wince and clutch at it with all his might. His teeth gritted and he fell to his knees as the searing pain grew steadily by the minute. A burning discomfort flared within his arm, stinging his senses while it coursed through and through. It was as if it could dismember itself from the rest of his body this very moment.

**_I told you so._ **

“Naruto-kun! What’s wrong?!”

She huddled next to him, searching his body for any indications of severe wounds.

_Kurama, damn it! what’s going on?! This is worse than before. It hurts like hell!_

**_I warned you over and over again, and yet here we are._ **

_You’re not helping, AT ALL._

And in an instant, distinct veins spouted at the sides of Hinata’s eyes, gently grabbing his prosthetic arm and thoroughly scanning it for any complications, studying the flow of its chakra and any signs of grave malfunction. Despite the years of their long-term friendship, he still hadn’t gotten quite used to her stern expression. Especially now, as she seemed to be giving her full-on attention to the subject before her.

“I think I’ve spotted it. There’s a swelling of chakra in this spot right here.” Gesturing slightly below his triceps. “It seems to have accumulated an overwhelming concentration of chakra, reflexively recognizing it as harmful material. It seems that your new arm still hasn’t fully adjusted to your own chakra systems…” Her voice was then slowly trailing off.

“…along with your Kyuubi’s chakra.”

“What do you-”

“It’s detected your Kyuubi’s chakra as something foreign and it seems that it was too much for it to handle, thus resulting to this severe swelling, affecting your veins and vascular capacitance. Because of its intense exposure, an inflammation matured, causing your muscles to sear and your forearm to react painfully. A result from the over usage of your Kyuubi’s chakra.”

**_Smart girl._ **

Hinata fell silent after profoundly explaining her intel on his unknown pain. Her woeful eyes locked on the ground, not planning to meet his.

“So, this was because of me.” Her voice steady as a rock. A dull look etched vividly across her face.

At this moment, he wasn’t completely sure which hurt him the most, his throbbing arm or the clear desolation present on her face.

“Hinata, it was my choice. I kinda already-”

And before he could react, a stabbing pang stung his arm. Flinching at the sudden strike. He was left agape while staring at the tiny yet crazy-strong girl beside him.

“I-I’ve shut off the chakra points that seemed to be swelling uncontrollably, hopefully stabilizing the overconcentration of chakra w-within your arm. And I-I’ll try my best to apply some of my acquired medical knowledge to relieve the pain a little bit. Hopefully th-then, I will no longer be a nuisance to you, Naruto-kun. I’m truly sorry.”

Amazingly, the pain began to ease away as soon as she performed her Tenketsu on his arm. Yet her voice kept wavering at her words, proceeding to stay completely silent while transfusing her chakra onto his arm.

“You’re amazing, Hinata! It actually hurts less, now. Thanks so much!”

Still averting her gaze, Hinata continued to attentively heal his arm while remaining still and silent beside him.

“This isn’t your fault, y’know. I really wanted to do it. Ask Kurama! He can prove it to you.”

If it weren’t for the clamouring of the heavy rainfall, a tense silence would have completely engulfed them. The piercing quiet only made Naruto more and more conscious of Hinata’s glum aura.

He made her this way. And he hated it.

But he was too concerned about her welfare rather than his own. So, what if Kurama told him to stop and sure, Tsunade obaachan reminded him again and again to not overuse his Kyuubi’s chakra. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t a life or death situation and they really weren’t in the middle of battle but _Hinata was cold!_ And he would’ve hated himself even more if he simply ignored her shivering body. She was precious and beyond important to him. He couldn’t just _not_ help her. _She was shivering, dammit!_

“You really shouldn’t worry that much; it was just a sting. I mean, yeah it kinda hurt but I’m like reallyy strong! I can take it! Plus, I wasn’t just gonna ignore y-”

“I’m such a burden to you, Naruto-kun. I’m so sorry for even accompanying you on this mission.”

Her tone was somber and her eyes were completely down casted as she continued to focus her attention on his bandaged arm. 

“W-what?! Who said anything about you being a burden _?_ I had a lot of fun with you on this mission, y’know!”

A tinge of pink cast on her cheeks, motivating him to continue his rambling.

“Heck, if it weren’t for you tagging along this dumb mission with me, I would’ve just stayed in Konoha. I mean, who gives the future Hokage a _C-rank_ mission! I could accomplish all D-rank missions even in my sleep.”

And that was enough to set her giggling. God, he liked hearing her laugh. He liked seeing her happy. It felt like he was obligated, in some way, to preserve that smile of hers and keep it safe from any other dangers in the world.

“Oh, I do agree with you, Naruto-kun. Afterall, you are really strong… But I truly am sorry, I keep actin-”

“Apology not accepted. Especially, if you have nothing to apologize for.”

“But Naruto-kun-”

“Nope.”

“Bu-”

“Nope!”

“I’m reall-”

“Nooo, I’m not listeningg”

He began to cover his ears and act all frisky around her. Rewarding him with another one of her adorable giggles. Completely swooned by her honey coated laugh, he joined her. Giggling and teasing like there was no tomorrow. He couldn’t help but notice how the orange glow from the fire emanated across her face. It radiated her pale skin, highlighting her pearly eyes. They glistened against the faint light, and a beautiful gradient of orange and white melded in her pupils.

Her eyes are pretty. He thought to himself. And, so is her smile. And the way her nose would crunch up whenever she laughed. And how her eyes would crinkle every time she smiled. And how her laugh could hum sweet tunes to his ears. Everything about her was… pretty.

How was he only noticing this now?

“You’re really pretty, Hinata.”

And as he said this, Hinata’s cheeks burned brightly red. She cupped both of her hands beside her face, shaking her head in disapproval.

“E-ehh? I am not! Stop teasing me, Naruto-kun.”

“But you are! You’re _really_ pretty, Hinata!”

Her face, now red as a tomato, was hiding playfully behind her hands. Continuously denying and shaking her head left and right from his never-ending compliments. She looked adorable.

“You’re also _really_ kind! You take care of me a lot and never shout at me like all the others do. I like that about you! Plus, you’re so amazing and strong! _Really really_ strong!”

“Naruto-kun! Stop ittt”

Chuckling at her adorable redness, he was so engrossed in praising her, his thoughts continued to trail, no longer aware of his own words.

“You’re one of the strongest people I know! And you never give up so easily, even in the face of danger. You’re smart and kind and you always know what to say to me whenever I’m down as hell. Especially back in the war! Remember when-”

His voice reaching to an abrupt halt as his thoughts lingered to an unrelenting memory of a lifeless body, cradled securely in his arms. He remembered his blank eyes; pale as rice, his cold flesh pressed onto his own and his blood _, so much blood._ Thoughts stirred within him, his chest suddenly felt heavy, gravity weighing him down. An irregular pacing of his heart sped by the minute. He felt uneasy and his limbs felt like falling apart on him. Oh god, why would he mention that to her so casually?!

Memories of all those lives lost, those pale bodies, the vast amount of _blood;_ all steadily resurfacing in his head. The war that had started, all _because of him._ The lives that were lost, all _because of him._ The families that now had no one to return to, were all _because of him. His incompetence, his failures, his childish beliefs, his weaknesses, his sole existence._ Sure, they won the war, but at what cost?! He saved countless people (or so he convinces himself) but at what cost?

Peace.

He reminds himself.

His thoughts trail back to Pain’s words all those months ago.

_How would you confront this hatred, in order to create peace?_

He hadn’t answered back then, and he wasn’t too sure if he found the answer to that even now.

_Empty words... What can you do when you can't even back up your answer?_

An ironic thing, really. In order to attain this peace, blood must be shed, lives must be sacrificed, weapons must be brandished and all of your innocence must be cast aside. They had won the war and yet they still lost. Lost too many good people, too many tears, too many efforts and too many futures taken away from them.

These thoughts still haunt him.

They’ve haunted him in the bright of the day and haunted him in his darkness of the night.

He couldn’t breathe. His lungs became a vacuum. His eyes went misty. His body frozen.

_Because of me…_

Day and night, he could feel himself slipping away. He could hear those words resonate vividly in his mind. Someone had to take the blame for all those lives. And it had to be him. Because who else could it be? It was his fault. His fault. Everything. Everything had been his fault. The war that had started it all- all narrowed down to him _. His fault_. His fault Obito had succumbed to the clutches of Kaguya. His fault that Shikamaru and Ino lost both their fathers that day. His fault that the majority of Konoha’s children had become orphans. His fault that half of the Shinobi force _gone._ And his fault that Hinata no longer had Neji here with him. That memory of _that_ day. That war. Those lives. _His_ life. His body. His blood. His hands. His-

“Naruto-kun?”

The numbness of his body regaining its composure as a gentle warmth rested atop his hand. It was the first hint of sun drop in the endless cycle of the desolate winters. It felt nice, comforting even. And it felt vaguely familiar. As if he felt this comfort before. So, he looked down to find the source of this warmth and there he saw a tiny hand holding onto his calloused ones. Pale eyes locked onto his own, staring intently at him. His rampaging thoughts now subtly settling down as her quiet tone lulled his nerves.

“Naruto-kun, you’re shivering and you’re pale. What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer. He simply let himself be spoiled in her warmth, hoping that it was enough to revive him from his relentless episodes.

“Is it your arm? Does it still hurt? I’ll try to infuse more chakra if that can help.” Pale strong eyes still latched onto him. He blinked back into reality, regaining himself.

“I’m sorry, Hinata. I was- I shouldn’t have. I- Damn it, I’m sorry”

“Sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for bringing that up, for even mentioning the war, for being the tactless idiot that I am, fo-for letting him, N-Neji, ev-everyone…”

“What are you talking about?” Her woeful eyes continued to waiver, not planning to avert her gaze.

“I-its been 6 months already and I’m trying. I’m trying to keep myself together. I’m trying to pull myself back up like I normally do. I am! But- It’s just, I- this, this is a bad time. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned anything. I just- it still- I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, I’m so _so_ sorry, I should shut up. I‘m-”

“Naruto-kun!”

A stern voice cuts him off, and a firmer grip now clutching tighter onto his hand.

“Talk to me, please. I-I know I have no right to intrude on your personal thoughts but it feels like you’ve been carrying this- _this burden_ for far too long and I don’t want you to be alone, I don’t want you to _feel_ like you’re alone. Because you’re not. You never were. Be vulnerable for once with me and don’t hold back. Please, stop _pretending_ like you’re okay, even when you’re clearly not. Because _I’ll_ listen… I promise, I will.”

He felt transparent. Had he always been that obvious? Does Hinata see him as some helpless idiot, now? No, Hinata would never. He knows far too well that she believes in him more than anyone else in their village. She knows he’s strong. She knows his capabilities. Yet at the same time, she is more than aware of his concealed weaknesses too. It’s as if he could let his guard down in front of her and she wouldn’t care. She’d still see him as him. She’d still see him as the strong shinobi that he really is.

And, so he did.

Huffing a deep sigh, he fanned his eyes open and met her unyielding gaze.

He let down his guard in front her, not caring nor holding back a single heaviness that weighed on him like load on a sunken ship. He confided in her and poured himself dry. Unravelling himself, displaying his cracks, his flaws, his hurt, his pain; all for her to see. The memories, the trauma, the faces of his lifeless comrades, the images that haunt him even in the day, the gut-wrenching _guilt_ that endlessly controlled him _._

Not a single heartache left unuttered.

In the middle of his perturbation, he was so sure that he had already scared her off, but she was still here, listening. Her lavender eyes never faltering away. He felt unguarded _._

And yet he knew he was safe. He was sure of it.

Is this what it felt like to be _vulnerable?_

He was so unfamiliar of this- _this feeling._ His aura felt uncharacteristically depressed. Yet he knew that he had been hiding _all_ of this for oh so long. Having to unfurl himself in front of someone he could entrust his entire life with, somehow felt… safe. It was a pleasant calm that loomed over after a raging storm. A pleasant calm that made feel light and secured. She had always, always made him feel secured.

He wasn’t sure as to why he felt this way.

Or why _she_ was the reason as to why he felt this way.

But he liked it.

And he trusted it, never doubting her resolve even for a split second.

She was here. And he was safe.

He was safe.

Feeling lighter than before, he huffed another shaky sigh and found himself unconsciously quivering in his seat. He searched for any leverage he could grasp and to his luck, he found her tiny hand still resting atop his. He beamed at the kind girl beside him, eyes welling with relief and overflowing with immense admiration for his friend.

_She was here._

_He was safe._

And before he could react, beads of her tears cascaded on her cheeks. Woeful eyes pierced through him. Her hands were just as shaky as his own, causing a wave of worry to surge through his chest.

“Hinata! God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to overwhelm you this much. I just- it just felt so _natural_ talking to you. Everything just felt so light a-and damn it! I’m sorry, I should’ve thought of you first. I was being an idiot again. I’m sorry. I-”

He was once again cut off by a tight squeeze that carefully hugged both his hands. Warmth and tenderness flowed through his very entirety, reassuring him and calming his nerves

“No no, please don’t feel sorry for me, Naruto-kun, i-its just, you’ve suffered _so much_ and yet…”

“Hinata?” He noticed her fingers gently flicking the tears away from her eyes while her warmth was still there, silently reassuring him.

“They really weren’t exaggerating when they called you ‘The Strongest Shinobi Alive’, were they?” 

This caused him to lightly chuckle at her cheesy praise, feeding his ego, as if he hadn’t been overhearing those words for the past months.

“Well, of course! Have you seen these biceps?!” He then proceeded to flex both his arms in front of her, earning him a gentle giggle that hummed ever so sweetly from her mouth.

Her light composure was then washed away with melancholy eyes. Their eyes met and locked itself onto each other. Pale lavender now clashing with a gentle cerulean.

“Truly not a single soul alive could defeat you so easily, Naruto-kun. But when _I_ address you as ‘The Strongest Shinobi’, an image of a tiny young boy sitting alone on a swing set immediately comes to mind.”

Curious of her sudden words, he peered at her and gave him his full-on attention. This time, it was his turn to attentively listen to what _she_ had to say.

“Ever since you were little, I had always, _always_ watched you from afar. You were so gullible and unruly that every adult would come and berate you for your rowdy actions.” She giggled at the memory, fully engrossed with her little storytelling.

“You would play and smile as if nothing in the world could ever weigh you down. You were so full of life and tenacity, that I just couldn’t help but admire your undying resolve” A tint of pink then lightly brushed her cheeks.

“Even though you were so lonely and you were practically forced to face all your struggles alone. The village would still misjudge you and harass you out of fear. Everyone neglected you, isolated you even from your own home. Yet you _never wavered_. You continued to wear that bright grin of yours, never faltering nor doubting your own worth. Despite everything you had to go through, you _never_ gave up. Never.”

She beamed at him with an affectionate smile that reigned on him like a bathe in the sun.

“So yes, I agree with the title that they have given you. You truly are the _strongest shinobi_ alive, Naruto-kun.”

Her words flourishing him, engulfing him in a warm embrace. Yet his sudden realization still sunk deep in his chest, prickling needles to his lungs.

What was so great about being strong anyway? He wasn’t even strong enough to prevent his comrades, his friends, even his own family, from dying. In the end, had it even been worth it?

“But me being strong and all won’t bring back the dead.” A dryness clearly evident in his somber tone.

“It won’t, I can guarantee you that. But regret and guilt won’t bring them back either. Neither will your tears. You can cry, and regret and repent and miss them with all your heart and even accuse yourself for as long as you want but that won’t bring them back. N-nothing will.”

“…”

“Yet even if they are no longer here _,_ that won ’t necessarily mean that they aren’t _here_ with you. Neji-nisan visits my dreams ever so often especially when I’m at my lowest. B-but just when I need him the most, he’s there. He was always there and he will continue to be there _._ Like he never truly left me. A-and I’d like to believe that the same applies for you to, Naruto-kun. The same thing applies to everyone”

Her eyes gazing deeper into him, exploring every crevice of his soul, every nook of his novice heart. She was staring so intently at him that he could vividly zero in on the depth of her lavender pools and how it glistened against the faint orange glow of the flame. Her words coaxing him and seeping through his veins with a meld of pleasurable warmth and tranquility. It was undaunted and comforting. Everything about her was comforting. Everything about her simply made him feel _comforted._ He basked in her calming words once more, still holding on tightly to her hands and his blue eyes glued onto hers.

“As painful and heart-wrenching as it is, you can never bring them back, _never_. But, when you think about it, they never really left. Humans are organic and we were made to return to where we came from, but our souls, our memories, our emotions. They’ll always stay and they’ll always remain, leaving behind their little mementos.”

“The friends you’ve lost are still _here_ with you, nurturing you, protecting you and guiding you through and through. Neji-nisan does the same for me and I’m sure he’s done the same for you and for everyone. S-so please, stop hurting yourself with your own words. Stop blaming yourself for everything that happened.”

She gently brought both of his hands in front of her chest, cupping them tightly and clinging onto them as if they were fragile relics that she couldn’t risk losing.

“Because you were never at fault. You saved everyone and the entire world. You’re our saviour, Naruto-kun. Our protector. Our very own guardian. The best Konoha could’ve ever asked for. Making you the strongest and kindest shinobi alive.”

Her voice a fine blend of calmness and benevolence. Melodic whispers that hummed delicate tunes in his ears. She laid her forehead against his own and instantaneously, his very being was rupturing with a hearten warmth that only she could provide. The proximity was alarming yet endearingly comforting, that, as soon as she heaved a gentle sigh, her heat tickled his cheeks, pacifying his rampaging thoughts. She huffed another gentle sigh and breathed in her next words while still grasping his hands with her own delicacy.

“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you, Naruto-kun.”

He was silent.

_Hinata_

A place in the sun.

The sun.

 _His_ sun.

 _She_ was _his_ sun.

“I can’t promise you that life after the war will be a quiet one. Yet, when has life ever been quiet at all?” She scoffed a gentle chuckle. “These memories that haunt you; I-if I could, I would do absolutely anything to make you forget all about them. I wish I could make them all disappear and give you that peaceful life you’ve always deserved. What’s sadder is that I can’t even promise you a world without death and those nightmares. But I wish I could, I really wish I could give you that, Naruto-kun. I really do.”

Her grip much tighter than before and a few more tears trickled down. Impulsively, he wiped a tear on her cheek, caressing her delicate skin against his rough hands. Their foreheads still touching gently onto each other’s.

“It’s alright, Hinata. It’s not like you control the world or anything. I’m contented--actually, I’m happy. Genuinely happy! Because I have all these awesome friends with me! I have the love of my comrades and my village. I have Kurama, even if he is an annoying brat sometimes. I have mom, dad, and even Ero-senin watching over me! I have _you_ here with me, which always makes everything 10x better!” Another tint of red spread across her cheeks after his little commentary.

“I-it’s just scary sometimes, y’know? It’s like, I’m happy and safe and greedily eating my ramen, and the next thing you know, people are dying left and right. I just- I _really_ don’t want to lose anyone anymore. I’ve lost too many precious people already, and I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose another one.”

“We’re not going anywhere, Naruto-kun. We’ll always be here, _always”_

“Yeah, I know that! But what if another war breaks out a-and Sasuke’s still all alone out there. And w-what’s gonna happen to Sakura-chan and Sai and Kakashi-sensei and _you, especially you!_ What if you get in the middle of another-”

“I’m not going anywhere. I promise I won’t”

“But Hinata, I really can’t risk losing-”

“I said what I said.”

“Hin-”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Bu-”

“Naruto-kun, I promise I’ll always be here beside you. I _promise.”_

He was rooted to her gaze, wanting to stop time itself, merely so he could continue relishing in her blissful warmth as they stayed untouched by the world’s vices. Their foreheads were still lightly brushing against each other and the proximity of their faces hadn’t moved an inch. He couldn’t help but wonder if this is what people would call… intimacy?

Nevertheless, he liked it.

He liked it a lot.

A blanket of that familiar gentleness enveloped them, encompassing the subtle space around them. It was just them and the nimble crackling of the fire. Just them and the steady whistling of the wind. Just them and the comfort of the now soft breeze. It was just them and only them.

There was only them.

And he wanted this to last forever.

Or for as long as his luck would allow it.

She promised she wasn’t going anywhere. She promised to stay by his side, never planning to leave him ever.

He promised to do the same.

He silently promised to stay by her side, protecting her, growing with her, cherishing her for as long as he would.

He wasn’t going anywhere,

And so was she.

Because for now, there was just them and only them.

There was only them.

**_Oi, ugly brat! The sun’s back up which means you can head back to Konoha, now._ **

_Huh? Oh-Uhh, right, right. Didn’t notice that, thanks Kurama._

“Hinata, we should uh- head back, now that the sky’s all cleared up. _”_ A light chuckle escaped his lips as she snapped back to reality, her face was fuming with intense heat as a brighter red blotched all over her countenance. She was adorable as ever.

Instantly, she reacted all flustered, quickly letting go of his hand and straightening her posture from their _intimate_ position. Naruto couldn’t help but feel needy and a tad bit disappointed now that her warmth suddenly dissipated.

“I-I uhm I, Uh Yes! Yo-you’re right! We s-should definitely head back to K-Konoha! I uhm I’m sorry for the delay, I couldn’t help myself. I-I hope y-you’re fine now, Naruto-kun!”

“Thank you, Hinata.”

He then shot her his brightest, widest grin, hoping that it was enough to convey all the gratefulness and emotion he had felt towards her for the duration of this mission.

What would he be without her? He thought to himself.

_I’d be a hopeless case, that’s for sure._

She nodded and momentarily wore her baggy hoodie. And immediately after, she beamed at him with the same amount of bliss he had given her. They stood up from their positions, both preparing their equipment and backpacks as they ventured further out of the cave. Everything around them had seemed to settle down and the sun was now back in its highest view. They basked in the heat for a short while and readied themselves for their expenditure towards home.

“S-shall we set out, now?” Hinata peered at him with gleeful eyes.

“Yeah, we should. Another storm might be coming, so you’ll never know, y’know?”

“Oh, I know.” She giggled at her little response, causing him to chuckle along with her and soaking himself in her tender laughter.

“Race you to Konoha! Last one there has to buy the winner Ramen!”

“Naruto-kun, your arm! P-please be careful!”

The two then set afoot on their path towards Konoha, an airy bliss engulfing their young, innocent hearts.

* * *

_“Naruto”_

_There it was again._

_That wave of comfort that could ease his nightmares._

_That weightless sensation that would swell in his chest._

_And that limitless rapture that cocooned his entirety, enveloping him in a warm embrace. It was as if sweet lullabies hummed gently in his ears, lulling him to a peaceful sleep. It felt like he was bathing in the sun, soaking himself with every drop and radiance it offered._

_This was all too familiar._

_He recognized it almost instantly._

_And an unfathomable mirth burst widely in his heart._

_“Kaachan!”_

Not wasting a second, he wrapped his arms around his mother’s figure, relishing every minute of it. Tears slowly trickled in his eyes as his mother reciprocated his tender hug. Nothing nor anything could every embody the amount of joy swelling within him. He had missed her, _so so much._ Ever since they first met, he felt… whole. As if that aching gap inside of him immediately receded and was now replaced with the abundance of his mother’s love.

He never wanted this to end.

Even if this were a dream, he never wanted to wake up from it.

“Naruto! You’re hugging too tight!” She chuckled gleefully at his boisterous son, who was clinging onto her for dear life. His head nuzzled playfully in her shoulders and muffled a resounding sob.

“Kaachan! You won’t believe what happened in the war! Obito was there and Madara was controlling him while being all scary and annoying, but of course, he was nothing compared to me! Then Sasuke showed up out of nowhere and helped us out. Funniest thing to, he was all like ‘I’m gonna be Hokage’--”

“Naruto, slow down-”

“Then dad and all the other Hokage came being all awesome and all, then Kurama got extracted out of me and I think I died after that!”

“Wait, what?!! Your father didn-”

“A few of my friends died that day too, I was really _really_ sad about it but then a really special friend comforted me and made me feel 10x better! Then this weird looking alien guy showed up and told Sasuke and I that we were some reincarnations of really old people, then I got hella strong!”

“Naru-”

“Fast forward, everyone got sucked into Madara’s Tsukuyomi, and it was just my teammates and I that were left. Then the moon became red and then it wasn’t again, and then we managed to fight him head on but then this Zetsu guy just stabs him right in the back! And the next thing you know, Madara’s a goner and then this weird alien lady appeared _completely_ out of nowhere and-”

Completely distracted by his little storytelling, his mother wilfully smacked the topside of his head, causing his head to jolt downwards from the sudden attack. This was nothing new, of course.

“NARUTO! LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER WHEN SHE’S TALKING TO YOU!”

“Y-yes maam! _”_

He was more than aware of how scary his mother could get but this time, she was _fuming._ It was almost as if he could see clouds of smokes seep from her head. She raised another hand in front of him to which he reflexively shielded himself with his own arms. Yet to his surprise, he was ambushed in a much gentler embrace than before. She laughed at his overexcitement and fully wrapped herself around his endearing son. They haven’t seen each other _for so long_ , so she had to savor it, she had to.

“Naruto, I already know all about the war and how you saved the entire world. I couldn’t ignore my own son’s outstanding achievements now, could I?”

Naruto paid full attention to his mother’s words yet he couldn’t help but feel… vulnerable around her. He was deprived from this warmth ever since he was a baby. He simply let himself wander away and mindlessly surrender in her warm embrace, resting his head on her welcoming bosom.

“I’m proud of you, ya’know”

He peered at his beautiful mother with awe-stricken eyes.

“I’m really proud of you, Naruto.”

This time, he didn’t hold back. He let his tears flow and flow, happily feeling the welling from his eyes down to his cheeks. He’s heard those words from a lot of people recently, especially now that he was the War Hero of Konoha. He’s been mindlessly thanking the village folk and his friends with their numerous congratulations and praises.

But this,

Hearing those exact words come from his own mother’s mouth sent him a sensation of joy that no mere words could match up to.

His mother was proud of him.

And, for a fickle moment, he was proud of himself too.

“Oh yeah! Kaachan! I did everything you told me to do. I eat a lot of ramen and-and I go to different bathhouses so I could clean up! I’ve never been depressed over my bad grades but I’ve also never backed down from a challenge either! My friends are awesome people and I hope you could meet them someday and Ero-sennin, well you were right about him and his vices, haha! I uhm and I uh”

“I know all about them already! Your father told me all about it. I couldn’t be prouder, ya’know.”

He beamed at her with his brightest smile, completely stretching from one cheek to the other.

“Although, I did hear that you were having a bit of trouble with _girls_ lately.”

“W-what?! I never said that! I’m as handsome and as charming as Touchan!” He bumped a fist to his chest as if to prove a point.

Amused by his son’s adorable antics, she decided to hop along with him. “Oh really? Then how come you’ve never had a girlfriend then?”

“H-hey! I’m only 17 and I barely know a thing or two about women, y’know! Plus, you also told me to find someone _just like you_ and i-its _soo_ hard _!_ Women are so hard sometimes! Also, I barely know anyone with red hair like yours!”

“What does the color of my hair have anything to do with you finding a girlfriend?”

“Be-because you said so yourself! To find someone _just like you!!”_

Her eyes widened at his son’s dumb commentary, slightly regretting how she hadn’t lectured him about women any sooner. “Naruto, my darling son. When I said to find someone just like me, I didn’t mean it literally, ya’know”

“Huh??”

She couldn’t help but chuckle at his son’s obliviousness.

_Where have all the years gone?_

She could recall still the times when she was young and vivacious and absolutely ecstatic about her first pregnancy, her first child, and how she supplemented him with all the nutrients he much needed and before you know it, her she was now; lecturing him on little ways on how to woo a woman.

Time took her away from her own son _far too soon_.

He was growing up too quickly.

And she had missed it.

She missed his first steps, first words, first day of school, first jutsu, first friend, first achievements…

She had missed _too many_ of his firsts and his second and the ones after that.

She had missed him, missed too big of a part in his life.

And she wanted to make up for it,

She _needed_ to make up for it.

Because she was his mother and as a mother, she would be here for him, to compensate for the lack of time they could’ve had together.

Even if it were through means of his blossoming love life, she would take it.

Because for this;

She wasn’t going to miss it for the world.

“Naruto?”

“What is it Kaachan?”

“Do you have a certain girl you have in mind?”

“Huh?! W-why this all of a sudden?!”

An expected reaction from a young immature teen.

“Well, do you?”

“O-oh w-well, uhm since you’re my mom and all” He began to impulsively scratch the back of his head. “I guess you s-should know. I mean, I d-did have this sorta really stupid crush on my friend but I guess it’s been fading recently. Don’t get me wrong! I still love her but not the way you and dad uh- This is really awkward, y’know. I guess you could say I never really liked her that much.” Lazily shrugging his shoulders.

“Infatuation and love may seem indistinguishable at first but once you fall _in love,_ there really is no turning back.”

“Infatuwhat?” He rubbed the back of his head as he shot his mother a confusing look.

“ _Infatuation,_ Naruto. It’s an exhilarating feeling you get at first glance but once you dive deeper into it, you’ll only find that it was all temporary and superficial from the start. It can be deceiving at times, especially if you simply fall for a girl’s attractiveness. But looks and her status aren’t at all that important, ya’know”

“So, you mean I should be with someone who’s really ugly then?” This statement earned him yet another hit to the head.

“No, you idiot of a son! I just said that looks don’t matter! Because, if you really did love her, you’d see her as the most beautiful woman who could even catch your eye, even if she never had goddess-like beauty.”

“I swear your father was much smoother and more charming than you are. Say, are you really his son?!”

“Kaachan! Just continue with your talking y’know!”

Giggling madly at his son’s taunts. She proceeded to subtly lecture him about his underdeveloped emotions.

“As for love, Naruto. Well, love is honestly too inexplicable. Love can be both complex and yet simple at the same time. It’s something that nurtures and grows with you. Something that demands your attention as you let it thrive and consume your very being. It’s a similar feeling to happiness, but a different, more special type of happiness. A happiness that only _that certain_ person could give you.”

She closed her eyes for a brief moment as a strong shinobi with long bright yellow locks immediately came to mind.

“It’s a warm feeling, really. Much like that embrace we shared minutes ago. Only this one pulls you deeper and deeper into its embrace, you’d never want to let go, ever. Its reassuring comfort will hug you generously, slowly flourishing that innocent little heart of yours.” She poked the left-side of his chest, close enough where his heart was. “Sometimes, even by looking at her or by simply _being_ with her, you’ll fall deeper in love with her, more than you already were.

She glanced at his son and found him attentively listening to her heartfelt lectures. These subtle moments were more than enough for her. She would relish them, every second of it. Imprinting his curious adorable little face into her mind and heart, hoping that this were enough to compensate all those years of longing for him. She loved him beyond words and wished she could do more for him.

How she wished she could do more for him.

“Honestly, I could go and on about how wonderful being in love is but that would take too much of our time. But if we’re going to be frank here, all these words I’ve been describing; don’t even measure up half of the amount of bliss you’d be feeling when you’re _finally in love_. When you’ll realize it, you’ll know. You’ll just _know._ Because with love, there’s no second guessing, no doubts, no what ifs, no pulling yourself back, no temporaries; and when your heart has chosen her, it will continue to do so, forever and ever.”

“Cheesy isn’t it? Seeing as how you’re a guy and all”

She lightly poked his nose, fully grabbing his attention

“But, does a certain girl now come into mind, Naruto?”

A palette of lavender, midnight and porcelain white unconsciously materializes in his mind.

Yet, how would _he_ know that what his mother had been telling him was really what he called _love_. He was still too young and naïve, and had little to no experiences of being in love, let alone knowing the feeling of _being_ loved. What if this was just another form of infatuwhatwhat?, He’d only risk embarrassing himself in front of his mom even further! But then again, how would he know if he really was in love?

So, he decided to stay silent while keeping it to himself, for now.

“No one in particular, sorry. But you did say to find someone like you! How do I even do that?!”

“You’re taking my words too seriously, now”

“ Course I should, it’s my little memento of you, afterall. “

“Memento?”

“Oh, I uh learned it from a friend. She said it was a form of memory or kind of like a souvenir from someone precious to you. And well, in my case, your last words for me served as my little memento of you, Kaachan hehe~”

He beamed at her with another bright grin.

“ _She?_ Huh. Well, who is this _friend_ of yours?”

“I’m so glad you asked!! Her name’s Hinata! And she’s really kind to me! She’s also really strong and she’s saved my life more times than I could count. She’s been taking care of me recently and I couldn’t be any more grateful for her! She’s really amazing, Kaachan! You should meet her someday, you’ll _realllyyy_ like her, y’know!”

A mischievous little smirk etched across his mother’s face. Curiosity brimming inside of her stirring mind.

_Hinata, huh._

“If I’m being honest, she’s the _exact_ opposite of you, Kaachan. She’s really quiet and demure. And you like, get mad so easily! Not to mention, you’re really loud at times! Also, she’s super patient with me and she’s never yelled at me, _once!_ She’s kind and brave so you can say that she’s just as strong as you but unlike her, she doesn’t constantly nag at me like you do and- Hey! What are you-?!”

And yet again, he received another hit to the head.

But before she could rage out on him any further, a gentle smile appeared on her lips. Grinning down at his stupid, downright oblivious, dense as a rock, sorry excuse of a son.

“Ya little dummy, I appreciate you for honoring my final words and all but when I said to find someone like me, I didn’t mean to find someone _exactly_ like me, ya’know”

The poor boy reluctantly glanced at his mother from behind his shaggy blonde hair as he continued to stroke the aching throb where his mother had hit him, again.

“What I meant by finding someone like me was that you should find someone who’d be more than willing to love you with all her heart, ya idiot.”

She playfully raked his hair while lovingly fixing her gaze on him.

“Someone who loves you just as much as I do that, they’d dive in head first just to protect you, the same way your father and I protected you all those years ago.”

She levelled herself in front of him and met his blue eyes with her own.

"Someone who wouldn’t doubt you in the least, even when you’re already at your lowest.”

She lifted her hand and gently cupped his cheek, positioning her temple against his. Her hand felt warm on his skin and instinctively, he rested his hand on top of hers, leaning in closer to bask in more of his mother’s warmth. She sighed subtly in front of him and peered at him with her motherly gaze.

“Someone who sees you exactly the way that I do, Naruto”

Without even thinking twice, he lunged at his mother with open arms and squeezed her with so much fervor, his entire body melded against her warmth, never planning to let go or to surrender the only time they could share together. He found refuge in her embrace and discovered he was safe within the walls of her gentle arms. He never wanted to let go. Never. 

The warmth and comfort she radiated felt all too familiar.

He knew he had felt something as gentle as this before.

Yet he couldn’t quite tie those knots together properly.

He didn’t know why.

He couldn’t describe it. He couldn’t explain it. Everything he felt in that exact moment was all too good to be true that a clenching pang in his chest caught him off guard as he recalled that, despite how peaceful and reassured he felt, despite the pleasant calm that had flown through him and the genuine happiness that swelled vigorously within his chest; this was still a dream.

All of it.

He knew it was, he was sure of it.

And yet that didn’t stop him from squeezing her even tighter, forcing himself to absorb all the warmth from her.

He wanted this moment to last forever, longer than forever if heaven allowed him.

He wanted nothing more than to freeze time and freeze both of them in the comforting bubble they were in.

He wanted nothing more than to simply be with his mother.

_Was this too much to ask for?_

_He gripped onto her tighter as he noticed his own sub conscience slowly drifting away._

_No, not yet._

_Not now, not ever._

_Let me be with her a bit longer, please._

_His arms clutching fervently on his mother’s figure._

_She glanced back at him and shot him another motherly gaze._

_She led her lips atop his temple and a feather light touch loomed on his forehead._

_Not yet, please._

_“Naruto, please be happy for me, okay?”_

_No, not yet, please please_

_“Find that special someone and be happy with her”_

_His grip tighter than before._

_A gentle touch reached at the bottom of his chin and lifted it up, just enough for him to see the beautiful image of his mother._

_“Naruto,”_

_No, no, no please. Not yet, please, please._

_I just want to be with her a little longer._

_Just a little longer._

_Please._

_“I love you.”_

* * *

His eyes shot open.

Tears subtly trickled down his whiskered cheeks as vivid images of his mother replayed in his head. The will to pick himself up this early in the morning to head out and train, had now been completely washed away along with the memories he spent with his mother in his godforsaken dream.

It was quiet.

His mornings were always like this. The relentless quiet filled his room and he had no other choice but to wilfully succumb to his own prison of isolation.

It was always like this.

He would wake up with a room filled with nothingness, except for some empty cups of ramen splayed about on his floor.

No one to greet him good morning or to nag him for not waking up earlier.

No one to cook him breakfast or ask him how he was going to spend his day.

No one to berate him for being a sluggard or for being the untidy fool that he was.

He had no one.

Absolutely no one.

It had always been like this.

His depressing thoughts were then interrupted by a soft knock at his door.

_Who would come here at this hour?_

His body still feeling like lead, he propped up from his bed and headed to his door to see who his unexpected visitor must be.

“Hinata?”

“Uh I uh, G-good morning Naruto-kun”

Feeling slightly less depressed than before, he beamed at his friend and felt a hint of happiness slowly rekindling in him.

“W-well uh Kakashi sensei forc- uhm _ordered_ me to come get you for our next mission.” Her head was down casted, making it hard for him to catch a full view of her face.

“Can’t believe Kakashi sensei assigned us on another mission! I hope it won’t be a C or D rank one again. Let me just freshen up then we could head out, sounds good?”

“I-I actually, w-well, Naruto-kun, h-have you uhm e-eaten breakfast already?”

“Oh, I usually eat breakfast at Ichiraku’s. Maybe you’d wanna come with me there for breakfast? My treat!”

“W-well, I uhm y-you see, Na-naruto-kun, I kinda a-already cooked us— cooked you b-breakfast. W-would that be uhm, w-would that be okay with you?”

Naruto’s eyes widened with excitement as he heard her words before him. He was now fully convinced that Hinata might actually have access to his brain, which makes things a lot easier for her to know _exactly_ what he needed. Or maybe it was just the fact that Hinata was such a great person, _too great_ of a person.

“Really?! You cooked breakfast for me?!”

“W-would it be fine if we had this instead of Ichiraku? Y-you get to spend lesser money that way.”

He went silent for a split second deciding if he should cry from the overwhelming joy or to simply hug her and squeeze her lifeless, probably bursting like a balloon.

His instincts chose the latter.

“Hinataaaa!!! You. Are. Amazing!! You know that?!! No one has ever cooked breakfast for me!! Heck, no one ever cooks for me except Osan!!”

Hinata, who could no longer perceive anything, her face flaring redder than tomatoes, was now a few inches from the ground while being hugged maniacally by her long-term crush. Her face burned hotter than a volcano and she could swear that she was about to erupt in the next second if he were to keep up with his aggressive hugging any longer.

“Thanks a lot, Hinataaa!!! I wasn’t feeling it at all today but here you are yet again, coming in to my rescue!! You’re _really_ amazing you know that?!!”

“I wasn’t exaggerating one bit when I said you’d make a great wife! The bestest, most amazing, kindest, greatest wife a man could ever have!! And any bastard would be lucky as hell to have you.”

“That’s a bit too much don’t you think, Naruto-kun?”

She stared down at him while still being silently suffocated within his bear hug.

“And any bastard who doesn’t treat you right is gonna be having more than my fist. If he _even_ lays a single hand on you, hell’s gonna break loose, ya hear me Hinata??”

“N-naruto-kun, you’re being a bit-”

“HINATA HYUUGA IS GONNA MAKE AN AMAZING WIFE AND ANY BASTARD WHO TREATS HER LIKE SHIT IS GONNA PAY FOR IT!!”

“Naruto-kun! Stop shouting! And please let me down! Y-you’re hugging too tight, I-I ca-can’t bre-breathe”

And to her luck, he finally let him down, chuckling a hearty laugh at her adorable reaction, hands gripping to his stomach. And she, who was so easily swayed by his infectious laughter, chuckled along with him. He spared a glance or two at her between his giggles and he simply admired the adorable expressions that only she could make.

She can be so cute sometimes; she won’t even know it.

The airiness between them felt so relieving, that he didn’t need any mask on whenever she was around.

He could be himself whenever he was with her.

He could be the _best version_ of himself whenever she was here.

He could be whoever he’d want to be whenever she was here.

And as she entered the room, a thread of glistening red cascaded down her shoulders, immediately catching his attention. It was a familiar shade of red, the shade of red he couldn’t miss even from a mile away.

_Kaachan?_

“Hm? Did you say something?”

Regaining his composure, he blinked away the haziness from his eyes and before he knew it, that little red thread on her hair disappeared into thin air.

“N-nothing, it was nothing. Hey, how about you prepare our bento boxes while I get the table ready, okay?”

He dashed to his table, preparing every little cutlery they might need. The chopsticks all ready at the sides and his empty cups of ramen along with his boxes of milk all hastily thrown away.

“I can’t wait to eat your cooking again, Hinata and finally prove to you how great of a wife you’re gonna be!!”

“Naruto-kun! Stop saying embarrassing things like that!!”

Another tint of red tinged Hinata’s cheeks, making herself more adorable by the minute.

And as they heartily ate their breakfast, Naruto couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have Hinata as _his_ wife. 

***

**Author's Note:**

> Here, I tried to emphasize how Hinata is kind of like Naruto's anchor or his own life preserver in his 'messy sea of life'. 
> 
> Also, that scene with his mother was so fun to write I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I love the cute little interactions they both get and how Naruto is so giddy and childish around his mother, which always leaves me wanting more scenes with those two.
> 
> I wrote this lil one shot to clear up the air behind Kushina's words and how most fans still keep proving how Sakura is somewhat more similar to Kushina than Hinata and blah blah blah. Hopefully, I did a decent job out of it because I'd like to think that Kushina's words about finding someone like her were actually to find someone who would love him the way she does and all that. Not necessarily in the literal sense (with her red hair and sassy attitude and that jiz which what other fans are still so damn hung up on ugh).
> 
> anywayss, I had fun writing this and as alwaysss, I hope you enjoyed <333


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